Container with sanitary end closure



CONTAINER WITH SANITARY END cLosuRE Filed Deo. 30. 195s i 2 sheets-sheet I INVENTOR.

HOWARD M. HlLl.

ATTORNEYS March 12, 1957 H. M. HILL CONTAINER WITH SANITARY END CLOSURE 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1953 INVENTOR. HOWARD M. HILL ATTORNEYS 2,784,893 Patented Mar. 12, 1957 dce CONTAINER WITH SANITARY END 1CLOSURE Howard M. Hill, Port Washington, N. Y., assigner-.to

American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 30, 1953, Serial No. 401,116..

1 Claim; (Cl. 229-7) The present invention relates. to,I containers forr the packagingand delivery of. liquids, suchy asmilk and the like and `has particular reference to tazsanitary:` brecom tainer of` an improved construction which embodiesarrmlf` tiple layer, reenforceddispensing top` closure having a` hingeable protective shield.

The invention constitutes an. improvement uponfthe container disclosed in United Statesy Patent- 2,609,985 issuedSeptember 9, 1952 to George C. Reid, et al.

Anobject of the instant invention vis the provision of a .dispensing` top closurefor a container` wherein the area around the dispensingopeningisreenforced withan additional layer of material and is` also protecteduag-ainst` unsanitaryV conditions, so thaty a strong, rigidtop closure may be provided by using` a sheet material of` reduced thickness.

Another object isthe provisionof. suche. dispensing` top closure which` may bemade; from a` single `piece of.,

material` and folded insuch `a manner asvto providefm the reenforcinglayer` of material on one.,side and` apro tective hingeable shield overlyingthe dispensingV opening on the opposite side, soas to facilitate manufactureA and handling of the closure as a unit,preparatory` to assem-` Fig. 3 is a reducedscale sectional view taken through` the` top closure alone;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a blank from whichthe.

top closure of the container shown in Fig. l` is constructed;

Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the'zrevcrsejside of the blank shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspectiveviewshowing -how the blank shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is folded to produce the closure; and

Fig. 7 is a top planyiew of the folded closure.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the in stant invention the drawings illustrate Ia rectangular container comprising a libre tubular body 11 (Fig. l) closed at its upper end with a sanitary, at, fibre dispensing top closure l2. The bottom end of the container may be closed in any suitable manner.

The body 11 preferably is formed from a single sheet or blank of fibrous material folded at right angles to provide four side walls and having the side edges or" the blank overlapped and adhesively secured together to form a lap side seam 14 (Fig. l).

The body side walls adjacent their upper ends are Z formed with an inwardly extending oblique wall' section 16` (Figs. l andZ) which mergestintoashort vertical wall section 17` dening a mouth forthe container. The terminal end of the short wall section 17 merges into an outwardly extendingperipheral, llat horizontal shoulder 18, the outer peripheral edgeportion ofwhich curves upwardly and thence `in.vardly asta bent back ilange 191 disposed in spaced and parallel relation` to `the shoulder 18. The shoulder 18` and ilange` 19r thus provide. a- U-l shaped receiving channel Ztl for receptionof'the marginal edge portions of the top closure 12.

The top closure 12 preferably` is made from-a one` piece blank 22 (Figs. 4 and 5)` of` fibrous sheetmate-` rial. substantiallyrectangularwouter portion 23- andan adjacent similar intermediate portion 24djoinedu by'r a fold; Extendingirorn the intermediate` portion 24%` line 25; the blank includes a trianguiar` or fragmental innersportion 27 of substantially one` half the area of the` inten` mediateportion 2d and joinedto this portion by, a fold. line 28 spaced` from and disposed parallel tothe told' line 25.-

ln such a blank` 22, the intermediate. portion 24 is defined by the two parallel fold lines 25, 28 and two` outer straight parallel edges 3l, 32. The triangular inner portion` 27 is defined by the fold line 28,- an outer` straight edge 33-which is coextensive with the outer, edge 3l. of the` intermediate portioncZl, and a diagonal or base edge ltwhich extends` from `the terminal` end of` the. triangularl edge 33. to the opposite corner ofA the intermediate portion 2d. as defined by the` intersection 0f` the fold. line 28. and the outer edge 320i` the:` por`k tion 24.

Along two sides, the outer portion t23is defined by` the:

fold` line 25, and-an outer edge 35 which is coextensive with the outer edge 32 of the` intermediate portion 2.4;

The remaining two` adjoining sides. of the. outer` portion 23 are irregular in contour and project outwardly to provide overhanging connected peripheral fiangesd, 37. Flange 3d extends beyond the outer edge 3.1.01? theinter: mediate portion 24 and sdened by at curved. corner edge 39 partially out from the corner of the inter-mediate portion 24, a connecting sloping edge 410 and anedge 41.

which is `parallel with the edgezl.

At` the corner of theV outer portion 23 where the flange 36 merges` with the iiange 37, a curved edge` dtdenes.l

the corner of the blank. The flange 3%7 is defined by a straight edge 44 whichis a` continuation. of the curved, edge 43, a connecting sloping edge/45 anda continuingcurved corner edge 46 which terminates atthe side edge 35 of the blank 22. The curved corner edges,3946

set off corner` lobes 47, 4S respectively at the terminalv ends of the flanges 36, 37. The terminalends of these curved edges 39, ,46 `also are connected by a fold line 51 which extendsdiagonally from corner to corner acrossV the outer blank portion 23- and` sets 4ol a hingeable triangular shaped shield portion 52 which includes the ilanges 36, 3'7. A pair of short slits 54, 55 are also provided in the outer portion 23. These slits extend in wardly from the outer edge 35 and the fold line 25 and are parallel with and in spaced relation to the hinge fold line 5l. A short slit Se at the fold line 25 extending from the slit 55 to the curved corner edge 39, is also provided for assembly purposes as will be hereinafter explained.

To produce the dispensing top closure 12 the blank 22 is folded along the parallel transverse fold lines 25, 28 as shown in Fig. 6 to form a three layer, ply or thickness rectangular closure. In this closure the outer portion 23 is on top and comprises the outer layer, the intermediate portion 24 is under the outer layer and comprises the intermediate layer, and the triangular inner The blank 22` isirregular in shape and includes aA portion 27 is on the bottom in vertical alignment with the triangular shield 52 of the outer layer and comprises the inner, or reenforcing layer. The flanges 36, 37 of the outer or top layer 23 extend beyond the outer edges of the folded-under intermediate and inner layers 24 and 27 as shown in Fig. 7. A suitable adhesive 58 applied to portions of the blank 22 in predetermined locations, as for example the designs shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is utilized to secure the layers together to provide a solid unitary closure. This adhesive is omitted from the triangular shield 52 and the portion of the outer layer 23 immediately under the shield so that the shield is free.

After thus folding the blank 22 and adhesively securing the three layers 23, 24, 27 together, a circular opening 61 is punched through all three layers of the closure in a location adjacent the corner covered on the top by the triangular shield 52 and on the bottom by the triangular inner layer 27 as shown in Fig. 7. This opening 61 in the intermediate layer 24 and the inner layer 27 serves as a filling and dispensing opening for the closure, the material around the opening being reenforced by the inner layer 27. In the outer layer 23, the opening 61 serves as a clearance opening or seat for a friction plug 62 (Figs. 2 and 3) to seal the dispensing opening. The plug 62 is formed with a surrounding flange 63 and a tab 64 which are adhesively secured to the outer face of the shield 52 and are liftable together.

In the container, the outer marginal edge portion of the closure 12, excepting the shield portion 52, as defined by the fold lines 2S, 28, outer coincident edges 31, 33 and outer coincident edges 32, 35 t into the peripheral channel 20 of the container body and are adhesively secured to the shoulder 1S and bent back flange 19 of the body as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to produce an end seam 66 which projects laterally from the container body 11 and which permanently secures the dispensing top closure 12 to the body.

The shield portion 52 of the outer layer 23 of the closure 12 overlies the opposed portions of the end seam 66, from the slit 54 to the slit 55, including three corners of the seam as shown in Fig. 1 so as to permit the shield to be hinged up into a vertical position to expose the opening 61 for the lling of the container.

The peripheral flanges 36, 37 of the shield 52 and the tab 64 of the friction plug 62 adhesively secured to the shield, extend beyond the top of the container and are folded over and beneath the end seam 66. After the container is lled these iange portions are clinched in place to hold the shield against accidental opening. The corner lobes 47, 48 are also crimped under the corners of the seam. The friction plug 62 is also expanded as shown in Fig. 2 to seal the opening 61.

Thus while the triangular inner layer 27 of the closure 12 reenforces the closure around the filling and dispensing opening 61, the top or outer layer 23 provides a fixed portion which is secured in the end seam 66 and an integral hinged shield portion 52 which protects the pouring surfaces of the top and end seam 66 adjacent the opening 61 and which shield portion carries the adhesively secured friction plug 62 which seals the opening 61.

To open the container, the corner of the shield 52 and the tab 64 of the friction plug are pulled from under the end seam 66 and used as a finger hold for lifting the shield and pulling the plug out of the opening 61. This exposes the opening so that it may be used for lling or dispensing the contents of the container.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages Will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

A container for liquids, comprising a tubular libre body of substantially square cross section and a at top closure of integral triple thickness secured thereto in a laterally projecting end seam, said top closure having a filling and dispensing opening therein and being composed of relatively thin material including an intermediate layer of substantially square configuration, an integral inner layer of triangular configuration extending from one end of the intermediate layer and folded against and adhesively secured to the under surface of said intermediate layer to form one diagonal half of a substantially square composite reenforcing layer for the top closure, said opening being in said intermediate and triangular layers, an outer layer including a triangular portion formed integrally with and extending from the other end of the intermediate layer and folded against and adhesively secured to the upper surface of the intermediate layer to form the other diagonal half of said composite reenforcing layer, said diagonal halves together being coextensive with and adhesively secured to opposite surfaces of said substantially square intermediate layer for reenforcing said opening, and a substantially triangular hingeable shield forming integrally with and extending from said triangular outer layer reenforcing portion and set off `therefrom by a diagonal line of fold along a hypothenuse common to said triangular inner reenforcing layer and to said triangular reenforcing portion of the outer layer, and a friction plug carried by said shield for closing and sealing said opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,089,958 Hothersall Aug. 17, 1937 2,321,011 Cox et al June 8, 1943 2,321,042 Preis June 8, 1943 2,609,985 Reid et al. Sept. 9, 1952 2,657,848 Norden Nov. 3, 1953 2,661,137 Reid et al. Dec. 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 484,450 Canada July 1, 1952 

